Hinge structure



y 12, 1954 G. R. HEIDLER 3,132,911

HINGE STRUCTURE Filed April 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "I?" WM.

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HINGE STRUCTURE Filed April 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l United States Patent amen Patented May 12, 1964 3,132,911 BEIGE STRUCTURE .Glen R. Heidler, Pauli, Pa, assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 20, 1961, Ser. No. IMAM. 13 Claims. ((13. 33-4) The invention hereinafter described and claimed generally has to do with hinge structures. More specifically, however, it relates to hinge structures particularly adapted for use as a combined hinge and electrical connector.

The important object of the present invention is to provide a hinge construction suitable for a variety of uses, but particularly adapted for use where elements, such as Wall or panel members, are to be interconnected for relative pivotal movement.

Another important and more specific object of the invention is to provide such a hinge construction which, in addition to providing means for pivotally interconnecting wall or panel members, also provides means for conductively interconnecting electrical conductors on the members.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a hinge structure characterized by its simplicity, its low cost, its ease of manufacture, and its ability to serve its hinging function through wide angles without unnecessary strain on the hinge element and while maintaining interconnection of electrical conductors on the hinged panels.

With still more specificity the invention has for its object to provide such a hinge making it possible pivotally to move interconnected members or panels through 360.

In accordance with the above objects and first briefly described, the present invention comprises in its basic and preferred form a flexible hinge leaf bonded at its ends to adjacent members or panels, the hinged edges of which are maintained in abutting relation and so formed as to maintain the free intermediate portion of the flexible leaf substantially Without slack or tension in either of its terminal positions or in any of its intermediate positions during folding of the adjacent members relative to each other through angles up to and including 360.

In its use for hingedly interconnecting panels both physically and electrically the flexible hinge leaf member is electrically conductive. When desired, a plurality of such hinge elements may be arranged along abutting edges of adjacent panels thus to provide a row of hinges along the length of the adjacent panel edges, and simultaneously providing a plurality of uninterrupted electrical conductors usable for interconnecting electrical elements such as printed or other types of wiring on the panels.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pair of panels with parts broken away and hingedly interconnected in accordance with the invention for relative movement through 360, as seen in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing electrical interconnection of adjacent printed circuit panels by way or" a hinge construction in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational View of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 and with parts broken away; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a hinge element.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the invention as applied to abutting edges of wall or panel members 10 and 11, parts of which are broken away, it is seen that the hinge comprises elements formed integrally with the abutting edges 12 and 13 of the panels and a flexible strip or leaf 14. The ends 16 and 18 of the hinge leaf are fixed to panels 10 and 11 in any suitable manner between a pair of projections or abutments 2t} and 22 on the top edge of panel 10, and another pair 20a and 22a on panel 11, and adja-, cent the abutting edges 12 and 13. Each of the abutments includes an arcuate surface 24 formed by equal radii 26 from a point 28 on the opposite outer surfaces 30 and 32 respectively of each panel and tangent to the hinge leaf 14 thereby forming 90 arcs extending from the hinge leaf to the outer surfaces of the panel.

The abutting edges 12 and 13 of the panel members are cycloidal in shape, their curvature being generated coincident With a point 34 on the flexible hinge element 14 as the panel members are rotated relative to each other between the full line position to the broken line positions 36 and 38, shown in FIG. 1. In other words, the cycloidal curvature is coincident with the path of point 34 as the flexible hinge element 14 wraps around the curved surfaces 24 of the abutment members 20 and 22 respectively. Therefore, as the panel members 10 and 11 are folded relative to each other, as shown here, the free portion of the flexible hinge element 14 will always be equal to the free distance between its point of tangency with the arcs 24 as the panels swing relative to each other. This relationship keeps the panels tightly hinged together and the flexible element 14 taut throughout the movement of the panels. As shown in broken line positions 36 and 38 on FIG. 1, with the panel 10 in its completely folded condition relative to panel 11, the flexible hinge element 14 will be completely backed up by the abutting portions 20 and 22 cooperatively.

It can now be understood that the panels are pivotal relative to each other through 360as evidenced by the broken line positions 36 and 33 of panel 10 on FIG. 1 and that throughout the whole 360 the cycloidally shaped abutting edges 12 and 13 will maintain the flexible hinge leaf 14 taut as it wraps around arcuate surfaces 24 so there will be no separating of the panels and no play in the hinge leaf.

While not absolutely necessary, it may be desirable'in some cases to provide the abutting edges 12 and 13 with meshing teeth 40 and 42 thereby to prevent undesirable relative movement between the panels when they are be tween the terminal positions 36 and 38.

As seen in FIG. 7 2, a hinge assembly is integrally formed with the panel members 10 and 11 at their top and bottom surfaces. However, as brought out below, other arrangements may be found desirable. It should be understood too that the abutments Ztl and 22 may be formed as continuations of the top and bottom edges of is the panels, as indicated by the broken lines 44 on FIG. 2, rather than extending therefrom.

As seen in FIG. 4, the hinges may be formed as separate assemblies 46 for attachment to walls or panels such as shown at 43 and which in this embodiment comprise printed circuit panels having electrical conductors 52 and 54 formed thereon in accordance with any desirable method, not important here. A notch 55 is provided in the abutment 29, as seen in FIG. 6, for this purpose. The flexible hinge element 56 is electrically conductive and has its ends 58 and 6t bonded to the electrical conductors 52 and 54 respectively. The printed circuit elements, of course, may be on either or both sides of the panels 43 and 59, as desired.

In FIG. 5, a plurality of the hinge assemblies 46 are mounted along adjacent edges of the panels 43 and 50 to provide a plurality of electrical interconnections between the panels, and at the same time provide a piano-like hinge construction. It will be understood, however, that the number of hinge assemblies mounted along the facing edges 62 and 64 is a matter of choice arid not limited to any given number. They may be spaced evenly or otherwise depending upon the number and locations of electrical interconnections desired between the panels. The edges 62 and 6% are notched at 66 so to bridge the ends 58 and so when assembling the panels with the pre-assembled hinge elements.

From the above it is now clear that the invention provides a hinge construction whereby adjacent wall or panel members may be pivotally interconnected for relative pivotal movement between wide angles up to and including 360 and simultaneously therewith when desirable, pro vide means for electrically interconnecting circuit ele ments on adjacent pivotally connected members.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge structure comprising: a pair of members having abutting edge portions of cycloidal shape; means securing said edge portions together in a manner permitting said members to be folded relative to each other from one position to another; said securing means comprising an elongated flexible hinge element having one end portion secured to one of said members, and its opposite end portion secured to the other of said members with a free intermediate portion extending between the secured end portions; and means on the adjacent edge portions of said members and adjacent said hinge element forming arcuate surfaces extending away from said hinge element, the free intermediate portion of said hinge element wrapping around said arcuate surfaces and cooperating with said cycloidally shaped edge portions during folding of said members to maintain the free distance etween said secured end portions of said hinge element substantially equal to the free portion of said hinge element.

2. A hinge structure comprising: a pair of members having abutting edge portions of cycloidal shape; means securing said edge portions together in a manner permitting said members to be folded relative to each other from one terminal position to another; said securing means comprising an elongated flexible hinge element having one end portion secured to one of said members, and its opposite end portion secured to the other of said members with a free intermediate portion extending between the secured end portions; and means on the adjacent edge portions of said members and on opposite sides of said hinge element forming arcuate surfaces extending away from a point of tangency with said hinge ele-.

ment, the free intermediate portions of said hinge element wrapping around the arcuate surfaces on the same side thereof and cooperating with said cycloidally shaped edge portions during folding of said members toward one terminal position taus to maintain the free distance be tween said secured end portions of said hinge element substantially equal to the free portion of said hinge elementduring such movement.

3. A hinge structure comprising: a pair of members having cycloidally shaped abutting edge faces; means securing said members together in a manner permitting them to be moved about said abutting edge faces and relative to each other from one position to another; said securing means comprising an elongated flexible hinge leaf having opposite end portions and opposite faces, one end portion of said hinge leaf being secured to one of said members at a point spaced away from said abutting edge faces of said members, and an opposite end portion secured to the other of said members at a point also spaced away from said abutting edge faces of said members, and with a free intermediate portion of said hinge leaf extending between the said end portions; arcuately shaped means on the edge portions of each of said members and opposing at least one of the faces of said hinge leaf, said hinge leaf Wrapping around said arcuate means during folding of said members and cooperating with said cycloidally shaped edge faces to maintain said hinge leaf in a taut condition and said edge faces together while said members are moving relatively toward each other in the direction of said arcuately shaped means.

4. A hinge structure in accordance with claim 3 and further including additional arcuately shaped means 0pposing the opposite face of said hinge leaf and serving the same purpose as said first mentioned arcuate means when the said members are moving in the direction of said additional arcuately shaped means.

5. A hinge structure according to claim 3 wherein said members have side faces and are movable to a folded condition with a side face of one member facing a side face of the other member and said arcuately shaped means cooperate to completely back up said hinge leaf.

6. A hinge structure according to claim 4 wherein said members are movable through 360 to terminal positions and said arcuately shaped means are so formed as completely to back up said hinge leaf when said members are in either of their terminal positions.

7. A hinge structure according to claim 3 and further including cans adjacent each edge portion interengaging with each other and cooperating with said hinge leaf to prevent other relative movements of said members than the desired hinge movements.

8. A hinge structure according to claim 7 wherein said interengaging means comprises gear teeth the pitch line of which is coincident with the cycloidal curve of said abutting edge surfaces of said hinge members.

9. A hinge construction according to claim 3 wherein the said edge portions of said members are elongated and said edge faces are abutting throughout the length of said edge portions, and wherein a plurality of said hinge leaves are provided along said edge portions each similarly associated with said members.

-10. A construction according to claim 9 wherein each of said members is provided with electrical conductors independent of those on the other member, and further wherein the opposite ends of said hinge leaves are secured to conductors on the respective members thus to electrically interconnect conductors on the members.

11. A construction according to claim 3 wherein each of said pair of members is provided with electrical conductors independent of those on the other member, and further wherein the hinge leaf is electrically conductive and its opposite ends are secured to the conductors on the members thus electrically to interconnect said conductors.

r12. A hinge structure comprising: a pair of planar panel members positioned adjacent each other and having abutting cycloidally shaped edge portions; a hinge leaf securing said panels together for movement about its edge of one of said panels; means bonding the opposite end of said hinge leaf adjacent to the abutting edge of the other panel leaving a free intermediate portion of said hinge leaf lying between said bonded ends; each of said panels having portions on opposite sides of said hinge leaf, each of said portions having inner areuate faces in constant and progressively engaging relationship with said hinge leaf during movement of the panels from said common plane toward a terminal position, and maintaining a decreasing unengaged portion of the hinge leaf between the panels equal to the distance between its points of tangency with said larcuate faces, to a point wherein said hinge leaf is backed up throughout its length by cooperating arcuate portions when in a terminal position.

13. A construction according to claim 12 and further including electrical conductors on each of said panels, and wherein said hinge leaf is electrically conductive and its ends are bonded to conductors on opposite panels thus electrically to interconnect said conductons.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Walker May 1, 1877 Van Slyke Apr. 27, 1886 Ramminger Apr. 19, 1887 Bloom Ian. 5, 1937 Boltz Aug. 26, 1941 Arnold Aug. 20, 1946 Lustig June 16, 1959 Heidler Aug. 7, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 28. 1895 

1. A HINGE STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF MEMBERS HAVING ABUTTING EDGE PORTIONS OF CYCLOIDAL SHAPE; MEANS SECURING SAID EDGE PORTIONS TOGETHER IN A MANNER PERMITTING SAID MEMBERS TO BE FOLDED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER; SAID SECURING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE HINGE ELEMENT HAVING ONE END PORTION SECURED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, AND ITS OPPOSITE END PORTION SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS WITH A FREE INTERMEDIATE PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SECURED END PORTIONS; AND MEANS ON THE ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID MEMBERS AND ADJACENT SAID HINGE ELEMENT FORMING ARCUATE SURFACES EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID HINGE ELEMENT, THE FREE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID HINGE ELEMENT WRAPPING AROUND SAID ARCUATE SURFACES AND COOPERATING WITH SAID CYCLOIDALLY SHAPED EDGE PORTIONS DURING FOLDING OF SAID MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN THE FREE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SECURED END PORTIONS OF SAID HINGE ELEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE FREE PORTION OF SAID HINGE ELEMENT. 